


Ever So Gently

by AirDoodles



Category: BLACKPINK (Band), GOT7
Genre: Cute, Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Love, One Shot, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-04
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-29 07:25:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,035
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12626085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AirDoodles/pseuds/AirDoodles
Summary: Some fall in love. Some float gently into it.A collection of drabbles and one-shots starring Jinyoung and Jisoo, set in the K-pop idol universe.





	1. Ever So Gently

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> JInyoung struggles with skinship during a car ride in Daejeon.

It was still early in Daejeon, so when they arrived at each location, they were fortunate that there weren’t many visitors yet. Jinyoung and Jisoo’s respective managers did their part by keeping passersby out of the frame and redirecting them along different routes. The GOT7 member and the Blackpink member each got a touch-up on their makeup and took their places in front of the camera.

 

Their dance routine to “Uptown Funk” was thrown together pretty haphazardly. The choreography wasn’t especially inspired. They were both able to get it down within a day’s worth of practice.

 

The first time through at the first location, Jisoo and Jinyoung were paragons of professionalism. The second time around, they were able to keep some of their focus. But by the fifth or sixth time they had to dance it through, it was getting harder not to break out into laughs in the middle of filming.

 

This was _such_ a ridiculous dance.

 

“Jinyoung,” said PD-nim as they were loading up the van again to go to their last location. “Do you mind if you and Jisoo actually sit in the back? The videographer and I want to monitor the footage and it’s easier if we can put our equipment down in the middle.”

 

Neither saw the harm in it, so they agreed. But as they squeezed into the back row of the car, a problem arose.

 

They were sitting very close. Almost too close. Close enough to touch.

 

It wasn’t a problem when he and Jisoo sat in the middle row of the van. There were only two seats, one for each of them to lean back in and sit with their legs splayed or tucked without fear of accidentally nudging the other and causing accidental, unwanted skinship.

 

She was sitting in the middle seat. Jinyoung sat to her right and the stylist sat to her left. It was more cramped in the back of the van than Jinyoung thought it would be. He sat with his knees pressed together, trying not to squish her, trying not to let their legs touch.

 

The vehicle suddenly took a sharp right turn. Jinyoung’s body lurched left, and all his weight was thrown against Jisoo’s side.

 

He tried to grab the seat in front of him for support, to keep from crushing her, but his reach missed and, to his horror, his hand landed on Jisoo’s thigh. He snatched his hand away _immediately_.

 

“Sorry,” Jinyoung said. His ears were burning up, but Jisoo was gracious about the mishap.

 

“You okay?” Jisoo asked as soon as the car was steady again. She laughed. “Your manager’s driving is crazy. I’m impressed you’re still alive.”

 

He laughed nervously. “His driving skills are kind of extreme,” he said. “Though, technically, not unsafe. Personally, I think I’m worse at it.”

 

“At least you _can_ drive,” Jisoo said. “I’m contractually forbidden from getting behind the wheel.”

 

Jinyoung laughed gently along, but he noticed that his hand left a pinkish imprint on the skin of her thigh, and he was reminded of his screwup. He blushed anew. He pressed his knees back together and went back to trying to maintain at least two inches of space between him and her. It was the proper thing to do, the gentlemanly thing to do. Sure, they spent half the day dancing together in various locations around Daejeon, but that didn’t mean that they were _that_ close, yet, right?

 

Then the car lurched again, to the left this time, and Jisoo’s body was thrown against his. She had the same instinct to hold onto something to keep from crushing him, and she ended up holding onto his elbow. She snatched her hand away and smiled shyly.

 

“Sorry,” she whispered.

 

“It’s fine,” Jinyoung said.

 

In the row in front of them, PD-nim and the videographer looked at them and then promptly turned away. Jinyoung narrowed his eyes at them. Was this their game all along? He should have known Inkigayo was trying to set them up.

 

They arrived at their eighth and final location as it was nearing noon. After this, the crew promised that they would break for lunch and then return them to their hotel rooms to wait for the next rehearsal. At the mention of food, Jinyoung and Jisoo perked up again. They let that promise motivate them to try hard one more time for this last dance.

 

When filming wrapped, everyone applauded and thanked each other for working hard. It was hard work, indeed. They’d been up since early morning shuttling from one location to another and dancing and filming all day. Jinyoung had no doubt that everyone was tired. He knew he was.

 

They loaded back up into the van. Jinyoung and Jisoo took their places in the back row with their stylist, legs pressed together to keep from touching. While previous rides in the van had been lively and filled with laughter and conversation, Jinyoung guessed that everyone was too relieved and tired to speak to each other. They all fell into a comfortable silence, even Jisoo.

 

Jinyoung took his phone out of his pocket. It had been going off with notifications from the GOT7 members, his mother and father, and some notifications from V App and a news site he followed. This seemed as good a time as any to get caught up on everything he missed while he was filming.

 

He was reading an article on a news app when he suddenly felt a weight being lowered onto his shoulder. Jinyoung looked over at Jisoo and saw that she had fallen asleep.

 

He froze. Now what?

 

It wasn’t that he was uncomfortable. He didn’t mind letting Jisoo nap on his shoulder, he was just worried that she might be incredibly embarrassed if she woke up and found herself like this. Should he wake her? No. She was tired, and she looked so peaceful.

 

It seemed that he had no choice. Jinyoung looked around the van and saw that everyone else had drifted off to sleep, too, except for his manager who was sitting at the wheel. Daejeon was smaller than Seoul, but the journey from their last location to their hotel was still a fair distance to cross.

 

The car lurched again.

 

“Hyung,” Jinyoung complained this time.

 

“Sorry!” his manager sheepishly apologized. Luckily, despite the sharp maneuvering, no one in the car was startled awake, not even Jisoo whose full body weight got slammed against his side again. He looked down and saw her peaceful slumber undisturbed. He laughed gently. She slept like death, he thought.

 

Although his manager’s driving didn’t disturb Jisoo, it did make her hair fall over her face. If this was a K-drama, this would be the moment that the male lead reaches over and brushes the girl’s hair out of her face, ever so gently.

 

Jinyoung clenched his fists. For as long as he lived, all twenty-three years, Jinyoung had always, _always_ dreamed of brushing a girl’s hair out of her face.

 

He fought back the temptation. No. Just because she was leaning her head on his shoulder and spent half the day holding hands and dancing together didn’t mean he now magically had permission to touch her. Not even to brush her hair out of her face and fulfill some ridiculous, romantic fantasy when she couldn’t consciously choose to participate.

 

But as the car took another turn, more of her hair fell into her face. She was starting to look silly and a little creepy, like Sadako Yamamura from _Ringu_ was sleeping on his shoulder. After a while, he let out a sigh and thought _fuck it_.

 

Jinyoung reached for her face and ever so gently brushed her hair aside and tucked it behind her ear. There. It’s done, he thought. But when he drew his hand away, Jinyoung was mortified to see that Jisoo had opened her eyes.

 

He was so stunned at getting caught touching her face that he couldn’t even react. Jisoo, however, awake as she was, didn’t lift her head from his shoulder. She looked up at him with a curious expression that he couldn’t pinpoint. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper.

 

“You have very soft hands.”


	2. Read It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinyoung and Jisoo play a game in a bookshop.

“Let’s settle on some rules first, though,” said Jisoo, turning to face him in the Fiction aisle. They were supposed to film something for Inkigayo, but it suddenly started raining. They, and the rest of the film crew, ducked into a bookshop to keep dry. At this point, there was nothing they could do except wait for the rain to stop.

 

Jinyoung didn’t mind. He loved bookshops. Although he and Jisoo had grown closer since Daejeon, he still sometimes felt burdened by small talk and aimless conversation. With books, however, he didn’t need to feign interest. There was no shortage of things to talk about. Out of the blue, Jisoo had suggested a game, to see which of them was the better-read idol.

 

“Rule number one,” she said, holding up one finger. “Tell the truth. Rule number two: fiction books and authors of fiction only.”

 

“Alright,” he said, smirking. Jisoo was walking at a snail’s pace through the shop, gently running her hand over random covers.

 

“Rule number three,” she said. “You can only name books that you’ve also already read. If I find a book that I’ve read and you haven’t, you lose, and you have to buy that book and read it.”

 

 _That’s_ the penalty? Jinyoung scoffed. That wasn’t a penalty at all. He was already planning on buying a book anyway. He thought he’d humor her.

 

“Alright,” he said. “I’ll play along.”

 

“Ready?”

 

“Bring it on.”

 

“You first.”

 

“Alright, let’s go with an easy one,” he reached over took a book from the shelf, handed it to her. “Haruki Murakami.”

 

It was _The Wind-up Bird Chronicle_. Jisoo flipped through the pages. “I’ve read him,” Jisoo said. “Lately I think he’s become a victim of his own success.”

 

Jinyoung tilted his head. “What do you mean?”

 

“His earlier works like _Norwegian Wood_ and _Kafka on the Shore_ were tour de forces of the magical realism genre and they established him as a serious writer,” Jisoo said. “But I think his newer works read a little purposefully esoteric. Blocks readers out, makes them feel dumb for not understanding. They read like bad pastiches of his past works.”

 

“And critics are too afraid of calling down disdain from his fanbase to call him out when he produces a bad book?”

 

“Exactly,” Jisoo replaced the book on the shelf and then grabbed one from a nearby table. “Okay, your turn. Andy Weir’s _The Martian_?”

 

Jinyoung took the book from her and smiled down fondly at the orange cover.

 

“I read it, and I loved it _,”_ he said. “Amazing book. Handles a really complicated topic in a way that makes it humorous and approachable even for laymen readers.”

 

“Also a good deal experimental,” Jisoo said. “Does a lot of things that people typically don’t think a novel is able to do.”

 

“Kazuo Ishiguro,” Jinyoung said.

 

“Did you know he won the Nobel Prize in Literature this year?”

 

“You think he deserved it?”

 

“Completely. Although I feel bad for Murakami. Every year, people think it’ll finally be his year, but then he gets skipped. But back to Ishiguro. His writing tends to be sparse, but somehow he’s able to evoke profound emotion. It’s almost lyrical in its simplicity. Keigo Higashino.”

 

“I love Higashino.”

 

“We’re on the same brain wave, you and I,” Jisoo winked, and his heart skipped a beat. “I’ve read everything he’s written.”

 

“Me, too,” he stammered. “I think what I admire most about him is how he’s able to spin a mystery without relying on the usual psych thriller gimmicks like blood and gore. Goes to show that all you really need to make a good mystery novel is compelling characters. What about this one?”

 

He took a lime green book from a table and held it up to her. Jisoo nodded.

 

 _“Me, and Earl, and the Dying Girl_? I read it on a plane once,” she said. “It’s a fun book! Handles a tough topic. It’s also interesting how the author bends the rules of novel-writing and writes entire chapters in a different format but somehow is able to make it blend seamlessly with the rest of the prose. Also, can’t deny that it’s hilarious. What about _Lolita_?”

 

Jinyoung grimaced.

 

“Uhh… yeah, I read it,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess the actual writing in the book was noteworthy, but personally I think the heavy focus on pedophilia virtually cancels out any literary merit that the book might have. How long does this game go on?”

 

“Until you lose,” she said.

 

“Until _I_ lose?”

 

“Yeah,” she said, looking up at him with a smirk. “’Cause I’m gonna _smoke you_ , Park. Go on, give me another one.”

 

Jinyoung laughed. “Sure. _Gone Girl_.”

 

“Read it,” she pointed a finger at him. “Harrowing feminist commentary told in crime genre tradition. Shusaku Endo.”

 

“ _Silence_. Read it. _The Little Prince_.”

 

“Read it,” said Jisoo. “The Katharine Woods translation is the superior translation. _House of Leaves_.”

 

“Don’t even talk to me about that book, it fucked me up for months,” said Jinyoung. “In any case, I read it. Guillaume Musso.”

 

“ _The Phantom Tollbooth_.”

 

“ _A Tale for the Time Being_.”

 

“Jojo Moyes.”

 

“Paulo Coelho.”

 

“Stephen King.”

 

“ _Fight Club_.”

 

“ _Ulysses_.”

 

Jinyoung opened his mouth, preparing to say “read it,” but then he held his tongue. Jisoo smirked.

 

“Ha! Got you!” she laughed. She was about to take the book down from the shelf and then escort him over to the check out counter, but Jinyoung snatched the book before she could grab it.

 

“Hold on!” he said, narrowing his eyes at her. “Have _you_ read _Ulysses_?”

 

Jisoo chewed on her bottom lip. Jinyoung guffawed.

 

“You are such a cheater!” he said, and Jisoo shushed him when he started to raise his voice.

 

“Alright, alright!” she said, but then her eyes landed on another book and a slick smile made its way on her face. She grabbed it and held it in front of his face. “ _Fifty Shades of Grey_.”

 

Jinyoung scoffed to hide his inward panic. “ _Fifty Shades of Grey_?” he stuffed his hands into his pocket.

 

“Yeah,” Jisoo said, lowering her voice an octave. “So, have you read it?”

 

The corner of his lip twitched. “I’ve read it.”

 

“Oh, you have?” Jisoo wiggled a brow teasingly at him. “Wow, I might as well give you the victory right now. You really _do_ read a wide variety. So did you like it?”

 

“Wait,” he said. “Have _you_ read it?”

 

No answer. This time, it was Jinyoung cocking a suggestive brow at her.

 

“Did _you_ like it?”

 

Jisoo just quietly lowered the book, trying to disguise her smirk. “Just pick another book,” she said.

 

Her face had taken on a pinkish tint, and Jinyoung thought it was cute. How flustered she got. He laid _Fifty Shades_ down and began looking around for his next suggestion. He looked up and down the shelf looking for something that he wouldn’t mind suggesting to Jisoo, but also something that she hadn’t read before. In the corner of his eye, he spotted a book with a red cover. He picked it up gently and handed it to her.

 

“This one,” he said.

 

Jisoo looked at the cover and pursed her lips. “Alain de Botton’s _Essays on Love_.”

 

“Yupp,” Jinyoung said. “So? Read it?”

 

Jisoo sighed. “You got me.”

 

He tilted his head. “Seriously? You’ve never read this?” he asked. “It’s a really good book.”

 

Jisoo flipped the book over to inspect the back cover. She looked up at Jinyoung’s face and noted the look of fondness that colored his eyes. She was surprised. She had always known that Jinyoung was more sensitive than many other boys she knew, but she hadn’t pegged him as a romantic, too.

 

“You should read it,” he said.

 

“What’s it about?”

 

It had been a while since the last time Jinyoung had read the book. He racked his brain for a proper description.

 

“Well, it’s a novel,” he said. “About a couple, dissects the ins and outs of their relationship, really takes every interaction and puts it under microscopic focus. The whole thing kind of revolves around this idea of romantic fatalism.”

 

“Romantic fatalism?” Jisoo said, furrowing her brows.

 

“Yeah,” Jinyoung said. “Basically, the whole idea of _the One_. The book opens with a summary of the concept, but basically the protagonist is a romantic fatalist, and he sees every little interaction he has with this girl as a sign that she could be the One.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like being born around the same time, having moles in the same place, having the same taste in books,” Jinyoung bit his tongue when the last thing slipped out. Jisoo still heard, though. She tilted her head at him and lowered the book.

 

She was examining him with such intensity that Jinyoung couldn’t help but flush under her scrutiny. He cleared his throat, hoping to get her attention away, but she spoke before he could.

 

“Do you consider yourself a romantic fatalist?” she asked.

 

 _Shit_ , he thought. He was afraid she would ask that.

 

Actually, he had thought about that a lot. He joined JYP when he was a teenager, before he’d ever had a chance to seriously date anyone. Then, when JJ Project and GOT7 happened, he was contractually banned from dating for a fixed amount of time. By the time the dating ban was lifted, he was too busy and too distracted, and his introverted personality made it hard to get to know anyone. Sure, he had crushes and he met girls here and there, but their acquaintance was always cut short by mismatched schedules. Girls walked in and out of his life like trains passed through stations, and never long enough to let him wonder if she could be the One.

 

But here’s a girl now. Kim Jisoo. Bright smile, open heart, warm spirit. _Very_ beautiful. Laughs a lot. Reads the same books as he does. A romantic fatalist would take that as a sign of their fated compatibility. But Jinyoung wouldn’t let himself be so foolish. This could all just be a grand coincidence.

 

“The rain stopped!” said the producer and the videographer rushing at them from around the corner of an aisle. They beckoned the MC’s to drop what they were doing and quickly film in the street before it got too crowded again.

 

Jisoo put the book down and was shooed by her manager out the door. Jinyoung straightened out his clothes. He was about to follow everyone back out to the street, but he looked down at the forgotten copy of _Essays on Love_. He looked out the window and saw the crew still busy setting up the cameras.

 

To hell with it, he thought. He picked the book up, took it to the counter, and paid for it. There would be time after filming, he thought, to give it to her. Maybe it _is_ a sign, and maybe it’s not.

 

Either way, he hoped she would like it. He was sure she would. Even if they were most probably _not_ each other’s romantic soulmate, maybe there was such a thing as book mates?


	3. Must Love Dogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisoo asks Jinyoung for a favor.

Jinyoung ran over to the other side of the couch, but then Dalgom ducked behind and crawled over to the other side. When Jinyoung tried to intercept there, the dog turned tail and ran the opposite direction.

 

“Dalgom!” he clenched his jaw. He was starting to get annoyed chasing this dog around the couch. “Sit! Here, boy. Come here.”

 

Blackpink was out of town, and Jisoo had asked him to take Dalgom back to his dorm to dog-sit for the week. Jinyoung was never really a dog person, but he was happy to oblige. Right now, though, taking Dalgom home didn’t seem likely. The little white dog evaded him at every turn.

 

Finally, he realized that instead of waiting for Dalgom to crawl out from behind the couch, he could just move the couch. So he did, but as Jinyoung bent down to pick Dalgom up, the dog turned and started snarling at him. Then came the yapping.

 

“Shh! Quiet!” he held a finger up to his lip and prayed to God that the walls were thick enough to drown out the barking. “Quiet!”

 

He had already loaded up the dog food, Dalgom’s bed and toys, and his leash in the car. All there was left to do was get the dog himself. But when he bent down to grab Dalgom around the middle, the dog snapped its teeth at his hands. Jinyoung drew his fingers away.

 

“Hey!” he said. “Bad dog! No biting. Come on, you’re spending the week with me while your mom’s away. Let’s go, I got your stuff already!”

 

Dalgom kept snarling and trying to bite him each time Jinyoung attempt to hold him. Jinyoung frowned at the dog.

 

“Your mom asked me for this favor, alright?” he said, pointing a finger at Dalgom. “You’re coming home with me today, that’s that. Do _not_ try to bite me again, I swear…”

 

He reached out, and sure enough, Dalgom snapped at his fingers. Jinyoung had enough. _Fine_ , he thought. If that’s the way it’s going to be…

 

He returned to the car and unloaded the dog bed, toys, and food. He replaced all the things around the apartment and then put some dog food and water in Dalgom’s bowl. He reminded himself to text Jisoo later and tell her how this went, let her know that as glad as he was to look after her dog for her while she was gone, Dalgom was less enthusiastic about the arrangement. And that he had decided that he was would check on him everyday instead of bringing him back to the dorm.

 

After making sure everything was in order, Jinyoung head toward the door. He turned and gave the apartment one last look, and he found Dalgom lounging on the armrest of the brown leather couch. The dog was gazing at him with wide brown eyes. Jinyoung scowled, then he turned and left.

 

 

 

 

 

It was getting colder in Seoul. The mid-autumn festival came and went, and the weather was barreling onward toward winter and Christmas. The sky became gray and dark, and clouds threatened rain. The day after Jinyoung went to check on Dalgom, those threats turned into actual rain and then into a thunderstorm.

 

That morning, Jinyoung looked out his window and sighed. It would have been nice to stay in all day, maybe catch up on some reading and make something warm to drink. But he supposed he _still_ had to check on Jisoo’s dog.

 

As he was getting ready, he considered maybe bringing along the dish washing gloves. If he was going to make another attempt to bring Dalgom back to the dorm, the gloves would help if the dog tried to bite him again. He wasn’t looking forward to the errand. On top of having to step out in the middle of a thunderstorm, he knew that Dalgom wasn’t going to be especially enthused to see him. Jinyoung was pretty good with kids; dogs, not so much.

 

The rain pelted the windshield of his car as he made the drive over to Jisoo’s dorm. After parking in the guest area, he made his way up the elevator and then waved the key card she gave him in front of the door. He kicked off his shoes as he let himself in.

 

“Dalgom-ah,” he called as he stepped inside. He had turned off the lights in the apartment except the ones in the kitchen, to leave a little brightness for the dog. But otherwise, the apartment was totally quiet.

 

Jinyoung started whistling for the dog. “Dalgom-ah,” he called again as he checked the food bowl. He refilled it with kibble and water, but Dalgom still hadn’t appeared.

 

He checked behind the couch, but the little dog wasn’t snarling back there today. He looked around the living room, but he wasn’t there. Out the window, Jinyoung could see the storm still raging. Occasionally, flashes of lighting illuminated the room and thunder split the sky with a heart shaking crack.

 

“Dalgom-ah,” he continued calling and whistling for the dog, but he was nowhere to be found. Something like panic started settling into his heart. What if someone had broken in while he was gone and stole the dog? What if he hadn’t shut the door properly, and Dalgom ran away? Jisoo would be heartbroken.

 

He started dashing around the apartment, opening cabinets and doors and looking under tables.

 

“Where are you?” he called. “Come on, stop hiding. Wherever you are, just bark or something. You better be okay. Dalgom-ah! Come out! This isn’t funny!”

 

His worrying brought him over to Jisoo’s bedroom. Her door was ajar, and it was the only place he hadn’t checked yet. Jinyoung swallowed. A girl’s bedroom was a private place. He hesitated before pushing the door open and entering slowly.

 

Right away, he felt engulfed by her presence. Even though Jisoo wasn’t home, he could feel her in it. Her aura lingered in the things she touched and used, lingered on the bed she slept in, the clothes she wore which hung in the near wardrobe. Though by now she was hundreds of miles away, in this room, she felt close.

 

Jinyoung looked around at her things: the stuffed animals on her bed, the fan gifts stored in the corner, the simple skin care products laid out on her vanity. It was so _her_ , her thought.

 

A crack of thunder shook him out of his thoughts and made him jump in surprise.

 

“Fuck,” he cursed. The storm was getting worse. He was about to turn and continue looking for Dalgom, but then he heardwhimper coming from under the bed.

 

Jinyoung dropped to his knees and then lowered his head to the floor. Sure enough, there was Dalgom, ears back and rolled up into a ball under the bed.

 

“There you are!” Jinyoung said in a scolding voice, but seeing the little dog look so small and vulnerable weakened his heart. “What’s wrong? You scared? Did the storm scare you?”

 

Jinyoung used to be afraid of thunderstorms, too, but now that fear had subsided. Storms were just storms to him. But to a small dog who wasn’t aware even of his own being, he supposed a storm must be a very scary thing, indeed. His heart softened.

 

“Come here,” he whispered, and then he reached a hand out toward Dalgom. He was careful; Jinyoung didn’t want to be bitten. But this time as he placed his hand on the dog’s soft fur and gently pulled him out from under the bed, Dalgom didn’t protest. Another crackled of thunder made the dog whine, but when he was finally out from under the bed, Jinyoung drew him close to his chest.

 

“Shh,” Jinyoung said to the whimpering pup. Dalgom was so small and fragile in his arms. The dog was burying its face in the crook of his arm. The storm raged on outside, and the pup shook with every thunderclap and every flash of lightning. Jinyoung held him tighter. Jinyoung had never been much of a dog person, but he never felt so _needed_ as he did in that moment.

 

Jinyoung ran his palm soothingly down the dog’s spine, trying to calm him down.

 

“Shh, it’s okay,” he whispered. “I got you.”

 

 

 

 

 

Eight days later, Jisoo was the door of the GOT7 dorm. Jaebum was the one who opened it. He knew that Jisoo and Jinyoung had been talking more, getting closer since being named Inkigayo co-MC’s, but he wondered if he would _ever_ get used to seeing her at the dorm.

 

Jisoo bowed. “Morning!” she said, casting off her shoes as Jaebum let her in.

 

“Morning,” Jaebum said politely. “How was Japan?”

 

“Cold,” Jisoo said. “But we spent most of our time indoors anyway.”

 

“Are you here for Jinyoung?” Jaebum asked.

 

Jisoo laughed. “For Dalgom, actually,” she said. “But Jinyoung has him, so I _guess_ I’ve gotta say ‘hi’ to him, too. Is he here?”

 

“He should be in his room,” Jaebum said, walking toward the hallway. “It’s still early, I don’t know if he’s been up yet. Hold on, let me just make sure he’s dressed.”

 

Jaebum led Jisoo over to Jinyoung’s door but beckoned for her to stay behind him as he checked to make sure that Jinyoung was decent before letting her in. When he knocked and opened the door slowly, he found Jinyoung still sleeping on his bed. Clothed, thank god.

 

When he opened the door further to let Jisoo in, she switched on the lights. She was about to rush in with a wake-up call, but the scene she walked in on caught her tongue.

 

Jinyoung was sleeping face-down on his bed, and Dalgom was curled up into a cozy ball on the small of his back. When Jisoo stepped forward, her dog looked up at her with wide brown eyes.


	4. Favoritism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinyoung's father surprises him when he brings Jisoo back to his hometown.

“We were thinking about setting up the camera here and filming that way,” said the producer to Jinyoung. “You could have a little more privacy this way, but we would need to set up microphones on your parents.”

 

Jinyoung pursed his lips. “My mom doesn’t have a problem,” he said. “But my dad might take some convincing.” 

 

“Could you convince him?” the producer asked. “We don’t mean to pry into your private life, Jinyoung, but we are short on footage for this episode.”

 

“I understand,” Jinyoung said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He looked over at the growing crowd of people on the other side of the street. His manager and some other We Got Married staff and a couple of policemen were trying to get the crowd to disperse. There must be at least a hundred people gathered. Young and old, wielding smartphone cameras and fan placards, everyone craning their necks, trying to get a look at him. 

 

Or more likely, trying to get a glimpse of Jisoo. In the past, when he made trips home, he never attracted a crowd _this_ large. Figures—even in Jinhae, Blackpink’s popularity outmatched his own group’s. The thought made him laugh. 

 

People started staring and whispering almost as soon as they were off the train. They had to cancel brunch plans because word had gotten out that a Blackpink member was coming to the restaurant, and the fire chief told them they couldn’t film there anymore. They had to get support from the sheriff’s office to keep people from following them to Jinyoung family home, too.

 

Now they were here, in the middle of downtown Jinhae, where his parents had been hoping to show Jisoo the last of the cherry blossoms. He looked over at where his mother was standing, speaking animatedly with his virtual wife. 

 

As for Jisoo, she was enjoying herself. She’d never been to Jinhae before, and he was both nervous and excited to share his hometown with her. Everything was shiny and exhilarating to her, and she was a hit with his mother and sisters, who loved Blackpink. When his parents suggested a trip downtown, Jisoo happily ambled into their family van and took a seat between him and his mother. 

 

The good news was that his mother had been very gracious in agreeing to do the episode. She wouldn’t mind putting on a mic during what was supposed to be a personal visit to see the blossoms. It was easy to see that his mother was excited that Jinyoung had brought a girl home, even if it was just for a reality show. But his father was trickier.

 

He was a lot like Jinyoung, in a way. The strong, silent type. Jinyoung couldn’t remember a time when his father said ‘I love you’ to his son or showed him any kind of affection. Not with hugs and kisses, but with his steadiness and stability did Mr. Park show his children that he cared for them. But this quietness made it hard for Jinyoung to gauge his reaction to Jisoo. The man hadn’t said so much a single word to her since she arrived, and Jinyoung was worried that he didn’t like her.

 

Jinyoung walked toward Jisoo, getting ready to explain the situation to her. She turned to face him just as Jinyoung was getting closer.

 

“So, what’s happening?” she asked. “Are we filming here, too? I don’t mind.”

 

“I think we don’t have a choice,” Jinyoung said. “Since brunch plans got canceled, they’re short on footage. What is that?”

 

He noticed that Jisoo was holding a bun shaped like a fish, stuffed with green ice cream and topped with whipped cream and matcha powder. It must be at least 8,000 calories. It looked delectable. 

 

“Oh, this?” she said, smiling mischievously. “Looks good, right? Your dad bought it for me.”

 

He furrowed his brows. “My _dad_ bought you that?” 

 

“Yeah,” she said, licking off some of the whipped cream. “Over at that vendor there, 7000 won. I off-handedly mentioned that I was hungry since we skipped brunch, and then he bought it for me.”

 

Jinyoung still couldn’t get over the fact that his _father_ bought it for her. His father who scolded him for using part of his last GOT7 paycheck to replace the stove in his parents’ house even though the old one “just fine.” 

 

Just as these thoughts were passing through his mind, Mr. Park himself materialized at their side. Strong silent type, indeed. 

 

“Abeo-nim, it’s really good!” Jisoo said, smiling as she enjoyed her dessert. His father only nodded in reply, and Jinyoung trained his eyes on the man.

 

“Appa, did you buy that for her?” Jinyoung pointed at the fish dessert.

 

“She was hungry,” his father said simply. “Brunch plans were canceled.”

 

“Yeah, I didn’t eat either. I’m hungry, too,” Jinyoung said, amused and wanting to see if his father’s good mood extended to him. But his old man was unfazed.

 

“There are some food vendors over there,” he said. “Didn’t you bring your wallet?”

 

Jinyoung scoffed. His father turned and walked off in search of Jinyoung’s mother, leaving the young couple alone. Jisoo took a small plastic spoon and scooped some ice cream into her mouth. Jinyoung still blinked at his father’s retreating form. Jisoo giggled.

 

“What was that about?” she asked. “So cryptic.”

 

“Unbelievable,” Jinyoung said, shaking his head. “He wouldn’t even spend 7000 won to buy me a remote-controlled helicopter on my seventh birthday.”

 

“Sounds like an experience that scarred you for life,” Jisoo teased. “Don’t worry, I’ll buy you a remote-controlled helicopter.”

 

He chuckled. “Why did he buy _you_ ice cream but not me?”

 

Jisoo stopped eating for a minute and clicked her tongue. She furrowed her brows and gave him a sympathetic look.

 

“Well, Jinyoung,” she said gently. “I guess he just likes me better than you.”


	5. Photograph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jinyoung used to think of himself as the one capturing these moments. For once, the moment captures him.

It wasn’t meant to be a date. Jinyoung had just off-the-cuff mentioned that he once took photos for a JJ Project promotion campaign, and then Jisoo suggested that they visit a photo exhibit downtown. He never imagined that their conversation would take this turn.

 

Rinko Kawauchi was the name of the photographer to whom the exhibit was dedicated. Jisoo was walking slowly, taking in each photograph while Jinyoung walked a few steps behind her, taking in her reaction to each one. He was horrified that she might not be having a good time.

 

“Are you hungry?” he asked. “I think there’s a cafe downstairs, if you’re bored.”

 

Jisoo turned and laughed at him. “Are you worried that I’m bored?”

 

Jinyoung smiled nervously in reply, and Jisoo continued looking at the photos. Some of them were exceptionally beautiful and carried a sense of cheerfulness. Others were more dreary or gently sad. Others were just plain confusing. But each one evoked _some_ kind of emotional reaction.

 

“It’s too bad _your_ photo exhibit isn’t up anymore,” Jisoo said, clicking her tongue. Jinyoung laughed.

 

“Not that any of my photos could hold up a candle to Kawauchi,” Jinyoung said. “Mostly I just fooled around with a camera. I’m pretty bad at it. My pictures turn out looking ugly as hell.”

 

Not that it ever truly bothered him. Life as an idol moved at lightning speed, and if he wasn’t paying attention, it would pass him by in a flash. He like the idea of freezing little moments and preserving them for eternity.

 

For Jinyoung, photography was less about producing great pictures than it was about learning to see life’s little moments as something worth remembering. Life as something worth slowing down and savoring down to its marrows. Photography let him do that.

 

“Let’s take a _selca_ ,” Jisoo said all of a sudden.

 

“Huh?” Jinyoung said. She sat on one of the benches placed in the middle of the gallery and beckoned him to sit next to her. Then, she pulled out her phone.

 

“Your arm is longer,” she said, handing the phone to him, already in camera mode.

 

Jinyoung laughed gently as he took it from her. He sat down next to Jisoo and raised the camera, poised to take a _selca._ Jisoo moved closer to him, smiled, and held up a finger-heart. Jinyoung mirrored her actions. He started to count.

 

“One… two… three—“

 

Right as Jinyoung tapped the camera shutter, Jisoo pressed a quick, light kiss to his face. His smile faded and he was stunned. Jisoo, equally shaken by her own actions, squealed and then snatched her phone from his hand. Then she stood and started walking toward the stairwell.

 

“Okay, let’s go to the cafe now!” she said, covering her face.

 

Jinyoung sat alone on the bench gaping for a few seconds. He lifted a hand to his cheek but then was afraid to touch the spot she kissed. As if touching it would make the moment disappear. He wanted to check the photo to see if it really happened. But then he realized that the photo was on _her_ phone and not his.

 

Fat chance that she’d let him see it, too. He scoffed. He supposed he would just have to remember it.


	6. Dating Ban

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jisoo gets scared that there may never be a "right time" to date Jinyoung.

Jisoo leaned back in her chair and scrolled through her phone. Blinks had left over a thousand comments on her latest V-App post and she was steadily going through, replying to people’s messages. She wished Blackpink could make their comeback sooner; there were so many people waiting for them, and Jisoo hated leaving them hanging.

 

When she first joined YG Entertainment, she thought it was a dream come true. For years, she’d dreamed of standing on the same stage as her favorite artists and living the life they lived. In reality, idol life wasn't all it was made out to be. It was a lot of sleepless nights, a lot of busy days, lots of rules and red tape, and the hell of a lot of waiting.

 

And there was so much she was contractually forbidden from doing. Driving, clubbing, dating. Things that any normal girl her age would be off doing every weekend. She loved being an idol, but taking this hiatus from music also felt like a forced hiatus from life.

 

In the middle of her musings, she saw a dark shape in the corner of her eye. Jisoo lowered her phone and looked up at the door. It was slightly ajar, and through the crack in the doorway, she saw Jinyoung pacing out in the hall.

 

“Jinyoung?” she said, narrowing her eyes at the door. Upon hearing his name, Jinyoung stopped pacing and then slowly opened the door.

 

They had just wrapped up filming for Inkigayo for the day, so he had already changed out of his stage outfit and was clad in his usual jeans and crewneck sweater ensemble. His makeup was gone though his hair was still styled. She had always admired his commitment to simplicity in his fashion. Simple was more her style, too.

 

“Why are you dancing around in front of my door?” she said. “Got lost on your way to your dressing room?”

 

Jinyoung smiled, but it wasn’t his usual smile. It seemed… tense, anxious. Jisoo leaned forward.

 

“Are you okay?” she asked.

 

It seemed odd that he would be nervous around her. It’d been well over a year now that they knew each other. Inkigayo episodes, backstage run-ins at festivals and music shows, variety appearances, and off-work meetings. By now, Jisoo considered Jinyoung one of her closest friends.

 

“I’m fine,” he said, trying for a more convincing smile this time. “I’m surprised you haven’t left yet.”

 

“Unni is just in the bathroom,” Jisoo explained. “Sushi and cookies, not a good mix.”

 

Jinyoung clicked his tongue, and Jisoo laughed.

 

“So what are you up to for the rest of the day?” she asked, making friendly conversation. Jinyoung took a seat on the couch.

 

“Nothing, really,” he said. “I have a rare free Sunday. No schedules. Wish every Sunday could be like this.”

 

Jisoo scoffed. “Count your blessings,” she said. “At least you’re getting jobs. I just sit around at home, waiting for Yang Sajang-nim to get tired of MixNine and actually pay attention to me. We should trade schedules.”

 

Jinyoung laughed. “So, I’m guessing that means you’re free tonight, too.”

 

“Free as a free-range chicken,” Jisoo said.

 

Jinyoung grew quiet again. Jisoo narrowed her eyes at him. She could see the hazy cloud of thoughts building into a storm cloud in his eyes. She waved a hand in front of his eyes.

 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” she said, worried. Jinyoung fidgeted with his hands.

 

“I wanted to ask you something,” he said. Jisoo widened her eyes and set her phone down.

 

“Oh,” she said. “Alright. Go on.”

 

He clenched his fists and then stretched them out again. He took a deep breath.

 

“You’re free tonight, and so am I,” he said. Jisoo had a crushing feeling that she knew where he was going with this. Her heart clenched, knowing what her answer would have to be.

 

“Jinyoung—,”

 

“I was wondering if maybe you’d want to do something,” he said. “Something that’s not sitting on your couch waiting for Yang Sajang-nim to get tired of MixNine.”

 

He looked to her for a reaction. Jisoo pressed her lips together.

 

“Do you want to get dinner?” Jinyoung asked. “With… me?”

 

Jisoo was afraid he was going to say that. She took a deep breath and tried to think of a way to let him down as gently as possible. The last thing she wanted was to hurt his feelings.

 

“It’s… not that I don’t want to,” Jisoo said, and already she could see his spirit being crushed. “Because that sounds really, _really_ nice, and I’d love to, but… I can’t.”

 

Jinyoung swallowed a hard lump in his throat. Rejected. Right. Jisoo tried hard to salvage the situation.

 

“You know that I’m under contract,” Jisoo said. “And part of that is, I can’t date. At least not for three years after debut, and it hasn’t been that long yet.”

 

Jinyoung nodded, not wanting her to feel bad. Of course he understood. JYP had similar terms in their contracts with idols. His dating ban had since been lifted, but he’d never met anyone he wanted to defy his contract for. Not until Jisoo anyway. But he understood. He understood perfectly. The business they were in was less forgiving to female idols. He should have considered that. Now he just felt like an idiot for asking her out.

 

“Of course,” he said. “I get it.”

 

Jisoo pressed her lips together. “I’m sorry.”

 

“No, don’t be,” Jinyoung said, standing up and giving her a reassuring smile. “Anyway, have a great rest of your Sunday. I’ll see you next week. And good job today.”

 

Jisoo looked up at him sadly. She could tell he wasn’t really over the rejection. She wished she cold fix it. She wished things were different. Jinyoung continued smiling.

 

“Really, it’s okay,” he said. “Trust me, I understand.”

 

“Maybe,” Jisoo whispered, looking down at the floor. “If… you asked me again in two years… I might…”

 

No. Idiot, she thought. In two years, he’ll have met someone new. A kind, smart, hardworking, handsome man like Jinyoung would _not_ stay single for long. Some other girl will have scooped him up by then. He’ll have moved on from her, and Jisoo will only just be getting the ‘ok’ to start dating again. If she ever wanted to date Jinyoung (and she did), this had been chance, and now it was gone.

 

Jinyoung gave her a nod and then quietly excused himself from the room. Jisoo watched his retreating form with a regretful heart. She sat back in her chair with a sigh and cursed her damned contract. She used to say that life was all about timing, but it seemed that time was not on her side. The air in the room felt stale and empty, and she felt something rumbling inside her, an emotion that felt very much like pure panic.

 

She closed her eyes and tried to remind herself why she was doing this, why she was sticking to her contract in the first place. Because she loved music, she loved performing, she loved Blackpink. Life was all about timing, and this was Blackpink’s time. Not hers.

 

But then another voice rose up from the depths of her mind: when would it be _her_ time? When will it be the right time to start living again? When would it ever be time for her to say yes to new people and new possibilities? When would it ever be the right time to open up the door to love?

 

What if she gets stuck waiting for the right time, but the right time never comes?

 

Panic. Pure panic.

 

Jisoo got up from her chair and bolted out the door. She ran down the halls and burst into the lobby, where she found Jinyoung walking down the stairs toward the door. Jisoo held her breath.

 

“Jinyoung! Wait!” she shouted. Jinyoung paused just before he was going to descend the second flight of stairs, then he turned and saw Jisoo making her way toward him. He tried to control his feelings.

 

Jisoo walked up to him, and she was slightly out of breath. She didn’t say anything for a while, only looked at him. One of two roads that she could possibly take.

 

“You know,” she said. “Yang Sajang-nim said that… I can date if I just ask him, first.”

 

Jinyoung raised his brows. “Oh,” he said. “Okay?”

 

Of course, Jisoo thought. A loophole. She fished out her cell phone.

 

“Stay right there,” she said as she scrolled through her contacts and found her boss’ phone number. Jinyoung furrowed his brows at her.

 

“Are you… are you _calling_ him?”

 

Jisoo lifted the phone to her ear. Her heart beat along to the sound of the phone ringing on the other line. Then, she heard a click and a man’s voice.

 

“Sajang-nim?” she said. “It’s Jisoo. I’m fine, thanks—no, no, it’s not that—I just…”

 

She bit her lip. In front of her, Jinyoung’s eyes were bright and hopeful.

 

“You know Park Jinyoung, right?” she said. “No, not JYP. GOT7.”

 

Jinyoung laughed a little and then rubbed his face with his hand. He couldn’t believe Jisoo was actually on the phone with the company CEO asking for permission to date him. To date _him_.

 

“He’s an MC with me on Inkigayo,” Jisoo said, then she caught Jinyoung’s gaze and held it. “He’s just asked me out, and I’m going to tell him ‘yes.’”

 

Jinyoung turned to hide the embarrassingly happy look on his face.

 

“I know what the contract says,” Jisoo said. “But I want to go, and like you said, I’m an adult, so I… I’m just letting you know that I’m doing this, and I hope that’s alright with you.”

 

She looked at Jinyoung and gave him a fond look. “I like him a lot, and I’m gonna go out with him.”

 

Jisoo ended the call, and then took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe she had just done that. Jinyoung looked so stunned. He was probably thinking the same thing. They laughed together when the call was over, and then Jisoo smiled at Jinyoung, her date for tonight.

 

“So?” she said. “Dinner?”


	7. Kim Gae

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jackson likes Jisoo, he's just not sure he thinks of her as "Kim Gae."

“Kim Gae!” Jisoo held her shot glass up with a smile.

 

Jackson inwardly cringed. It was an involuntary reaction. He’d never heard the phrase paired up with “Kim” before, and it just caught him slightly off-guard. It sounded… odd. He tried to exchange looks with Jinyoung, but his friend was too busy smiling at his girlfriend. So Jackson shoved the feeling off. He tipped the shot into his mouth, letting the alcohol burn in his throat before laughing.

 

It was his birthday, or at least it was going to be in about ten days. But Jackson was scheduled to film in China on the 28th so Jinyoung insisted on a private, early celebration before he took off for work. Jackson thought he meant just the two of them, but he was surprised when Jinyoung brought Jisoo along.

 

The pair had been officially dating for about a month and a half now. Jackson had been there to see the whole thing unfold, from the beginnings of Jinyoung’s shy crush on his co-MC to the day he finally worked up the courage to ask her out. It took about fifteen casual dates, though, for them to become official, and Jisoo was the one to push it through since clueless Jinyoung kept dragging his feet.

 

Tonight was her first time hanging out with Wang Gae and Park Gae.

 

For the most part, the evening had gone really well. The trio met at a trendy gastropub and ordered food and alcohol, Jinyoung had brought a cake and Jackson insisted that they sing “happy birthday” for him. Jisoo matched the rhythm of their conversations very naturally. She told them a lot of stories throughout the evening, and Jackson thought that all of them were hilarious and interesting, and she told them in such a charming, engaging way.

 

But as soon as she chimed in, unprompted, during their Wang Gae-Park Gae toast with “Kim Gae!” his feelings muddled. It’s Wang Gae and Park Gae, he thought. It has always been.

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn’t that he disliked her. Actually, Jackson quite liked Jisoo a lot. He thought she was funny and bright and enthusiastic and warm-hearted and clever. And even if he didn’t know her, Jackson trusted that any girl Jinyoung found worth dating must be someone wonderful. Jackson liked Jisoo as Jinyoung’s girlfriend.

 

He supposed he just wasn’t sure if he liked her as “Kim Gae.”

 

In the seat next to him, Jinyoung smirked at his phone screen.

 

“What’s so funny, huh?” Jackson asked. The two of them were in the van with their manager at the wheel, en route to a studio for an editorial photo shoot.

 

“I wouldn’t say it’s funny, really,” Jinyoung said, shrugging as he typed a reply. “More… amusing, I guess.”

 

“What is?” Jackson asked.

 

“Jisoo,” Jinyoung replied.

 

“Ah,” Jackson said, grinning as he sat back in his. “Damn, I should have guessed. Why, what did she say? Was it that funny?”

 

Jinyoung shrugged. “Okay, I guess it’s actually not _that_ funny—,”

 

“You just think everything she says is funny, right?” Jackson shook his head and smirked. “Whipped.”

 

“I just told her you and I were on our way to a photoshoot,” Jinyoung said. “And the editor wanted just the two of us. And she texted this back.”

 

He turned his phone screen over to Jackson, who leaned forward to read the Kakao messages.

 

 _Just you and Jackson?_ the message read. _Ah! Wang Gae and Park Gae photo special! It’s too bad I couldn’t join, you guys are missing Kim Gae~_

 

Jackson furrowed his brows at the message. “Kim Gae” again.

 

“She calls herself Kim Gae now?” Jackson asked.

 

“Sometimes. Only when Wang and Park pop up, too.”

 

“Do _you_ call her Kim Gae?”

 

“I mean, not on a regular basis. It’s a nickname, it comes up sometimes.”

 

Jackson swallowed. “Isn’t it weird to give _yourself_ a nickname?”

 

“I mean, didn’t _you_ come up with Wang Gae for yourself?” Jinyoung said. Jackson opened his mouth to reply but ended up stuttering.

 

“Yea, but—well, that was—anyway—that’s not the point,” he laughed, but Jinyoung didn’t see what was funny.

 

“What is the point?” he asked. Jackson sucked in a breath. He may as well speak, he was never the type who could ruminate silently on his thoughts.

 

“Before we proceed, let me just make one thing clear,” Jackson said. “I support your relationship with Jisoo one hundred percent. You know I love you both. I would take a bullet for either one of you.”

 

“I appreciate that, though I hope you never have to,” Jinyoung said. “Okay. You support me dating Jisoo. But?”

 

Jackson hated himself for feeling like this. “I just… it feels weird to me that Jisoo is just… butting in.”

 

Jinyoung looked confused. “Butting in, how?”

 

“I mean, there’s a difference, right?” Jackson said. “Like, you and me, we’re Wang Gae and Park Gae, but you wouldn’t necessarily call yourself and Jisoo Park Gae and Kim Gae, because it’s different, right?”

 

Jinyoung considered this. “No, I guess not,” he said. “But that’s because those are names that you and I use, Jisoo and I—,”

 

“Exactly. It’s a _thing_ , right? Wang Gae and Park Gae, it’s a thing.”

 

Jinyoung was starting to understand.

 

“Ah,” Jinyoung said, crossing his arms. “You mean it’s _our_ thing, and you’re upset because Jisoo is imposing.”

 

Jackson panicked. “No! What the hell, that’s not what I mean.”

 

“You sure?” Jinyoung smirked. “Look, I know you support me dating Jisoo, but you also… your self esteem fluctuates. You like to feel secure in friendships.”

 

Jackson swallowed. “Well, doesn’t everyone want to feel secure in any relationship?” he asked.

 

“Yeah,” Jinyoung said. “But you’re also the type that likes to hear positive affirmation. So here it is: just because I’m dating Jisoo doesn’t mean I’m going to magically forget about you and the guys. We’re still Wang Gae and Park Gae, and that’s not going to change.”

 

Jackson wasn’t so sure, though. He’d seen it happen to plenty of his friends who found girlfriends and boyfriends. Hell, even _he_ had been guilty of it in the past.

 

“Are you so sure about that?” Jackson said. “I mean, it’s changed a _little_. Jisoo is calling herself Kim Gae now.”

 

Jinyoung narrowed his eyes. “This is _really_ bothering you, isn’t it?”

 

“You _know_ I think she’s great, don’t get me wrong,” Jackson said. “I just feel like the ‘gae’ title should be earned on its own merit, not just through association.”

 

“So what you’re saying is,” Jinyoung said carefully. “That you don’t consider Jisoo your friend just because I’m dating her.”

 

Jackson felt offended. “What?” he said. “Come on, of course, I consider her a friend.”

 

Jinyoung pursed his lips. “You just don’t consider her Kim Gae.”

 

 

 

 

 

The thing about Jackson was that he was a person who, once his attention has been caught, really fixates on the thing that has caught him. Perhaps that was why he excelled in fencing and it was probably what got him through the rigorous JYP training to eventually debut. But occasionally, he also fixated on things he’d probably be better off not fixating on.

 

Such as hate comments on SNS. And Instagram provided him with _plenty_ of those.

 

Granted there were also a number of positive comments, but for some reason his eyes and brain felt programmed to zero in on the negative ones. They stuck out to him like flies in a glass of milk. He was sitting on the couch in the GOT7 dorm, home alone and was scrolling through the comments beneath a recent picture.

 

_I was going to comment that they should have hired a more talented makeup artist, but then I realized it was just your face._

 

_How someone like you ever got into a Big Three company I’ll never understand. Seems like they let anybody in these days._

 

_Do you actually have talent aside from being a clown? Do you contribute anything to your group?_

 

_I don’t think your healthy food fad is doing much, you look heavier than you did three months ago._

 

Jinyoung once told him that he ought to just disable comments on his posts altogether. But even if he did, Jackson knew he’d see them elsewhere. Hell, he’d probably even hear people whispering it behind his back. When it came to “positive affirmation,” Jinyoung was textbook. Jackson could always count on his friend to tell him to ignore comments and remind him that he had plenty of strengths and talents to recommend himself.

 

But Jackson wasn’t saying these things to fish for compliments. He appreciated Jinyoung’s attempts to cheer him up, of course, and he didn’t doubt his friend’s sincerity, which never failed to bring him out of a slump. But sometimes Jackson didn’t want someone to cheer him up or solve his problems. Sometimes he just wanted to be… heard…. understood.

 

He looked up from his phone screen when the doorbell rung. Jackson got up to check the door, and through the peephole, he was Kim Jisoo standing there. He opened the door.

 

“Jisoo?” he said, throwing the door wide open to let her in. Jisoo gave him a polite bow and smiled as she kicked her shoes off.

 

“Hi, Jackson,” she said.

 

“You know Jinyoung is not here, right?” Jackson said, still clutching his phone. “He’s filming something at the studio, won’t be back for—,”

 

“Oh, yeah, he told me he was doing that,” Jisoo said. “I texted him, but I just came because I left something.”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“I took my jacket off the last time I was here,” Jisoo said. “I totally forgot that it was a loan from the stylist at W Korea, she wants it back. Jinyoung said it’s somewhere in his room. Mind if I check?”

 

“Nah, not at all. I mean, if he said it’s okay, then sure. I mean, you’re his girlfriend,” Jackson gestured toward Jinyoung’s door down the hall, although he was sure Jisoo knew where it was by now. Jisoo moved past Jackson to get to Jinyoung’s bedroom, but as she did, her shoulder hit his, causing him to drop his phone.

 

The force of the cellular device hitting the hardwood flooring accidentally activated the “speak” function on Jackson’s phone. A stiff, robotic voice began to speak:

 

“How someone like you ever got into a Big Three company I’ll never understand. Seems like they let anybody in these days. Do you actually have talent aside from being a clown? Do you contribute anything to your group? I don’t think your—,”

 

“Shit,” Jackson cursed as he scrambled to pick his phone up and then promptly shut it off. When he looked back at Jisoo, she looked flustered and slightly horrified. He tried to laugh it off.

 

“Whoops,” he said. “Sorry about that. Siri doesn’t know when to shut up, sometimes.”

 

Jisoo gave a weak laugh in response. Jackson cleared his throat.

 

“You know where Jinyoung’s room is, don’t you?” he said.

 

“Yeah, I’ll just…” Jisoo said, but Jackson noticed her staring at his phone nervously. “Were you—was that—?”

 

“Huh?”

 

Jisoo pursed her lips, brows still knit into concerned slants. “Were you… looking through the Blackpink Instagram account?”

 

Jackson looked at his phone and then at her. “What? Uh, no, I wasn’t. It was _my_ account. Yeah, people leave stupid comments, it’s… it’s nothing.”

 

“Oh,” Jisoo said, nodding. “Somebody left a similar comment under my picture, I just thought… never mind. Anyway, yeah, you’re right. Stupid comments.”

 

Jackson gave her a concerned look.

 

“Someone left a similar comment on your account?” Jackson asked. “When?”

 

Jisoo widened her eyes. “Oh, god, like _literally_ all the time,” she said. “Practically every time they post a picture of me some idiots comment that. You’d think by now they’d come up with something more creative. I’m getting bored reading the same shit over and over again.”

 

Jackson blinked. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m still not over the fact that someone actually commented that on _your_ photo.”

 

She gave another weak laugh. “Don’t you know?” Jisoo said, joking. “I suck at both singing and dancing and I’m only in Blackpink to be a pretty face.”

 

He was stunned. “You’re being so casual about this,” he said. “Doesn’t it bother you?”

 

Jisoo shrugged and looked sadly down at the floor. “Of course, it was hard reading those things at first,” she said. “But I’d be a pretty twisted person if I let what those awful people say get to me.”

 

Jackson sighed. “So I guess you get shit on online a lot, huh?”

 

“Of course I do,” Jisoo said. “I’m a _girl_ idol.”

 

“Shit, you’re right,” Jackson said. “You probably get it way worse than me.”

 

She shrugged. “It’s not like it’s some kind of competition,” she said. “I don’t know. I mean, that sounded pretty bad just now.”

 

“How do _you_ deal with it?” Jackson leaned against the couch and Jisoo moved further into the living room, crossing her legs and lowering herself to the floor.

 

“It’s not that I’ve made myself numb to the hurt,” Jisoo said, drawing her knees close to her chest. “Seeing all those people saying that I was a terrible dancer and singer and that I was just a pretty face with no talent… I used to get so angry. I would rant about it to Jennie or someone else and they would all say things like ‘you _are_ good at dancing’ or ‘you may not be good at dancing, but this, this, this, and this,’ and come up with all these other things that I’m good at.”

 

“Jinyoung does that,” Jackson said, and it made Jisoo smile.

 

“Yeah, he does,” she said. “People like to pick on weaknesses, so to make you feel better, he points out strengths, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Jackson said. “He’ll say things like ‘you’re short, but you make up for it with this and this and whatever.’”

 

“I mean, it does help,” Jisoo said. “He always sees the best in people, even the things we don’t see for ourselves.”

 

Jackson understood that. Himself, he was the kind of person who always strove for harmony and loved to tell people how great they were. But personally, Jackson struggled with his image, too. Jinyoung always helped him realize his worth during these episodes of low self esteem.

 

“But also think it’s important to own our weaknesses,” Jisoo said. “Because if you own them, people can’t use them to hurt you.”

 

Being a something of an extrovert, Jackson had never had a problem reaching out to people. He was always honest and forthcoming in his dealings with anybody he ever met, yet although he extended his kindness to everyone, there were few he could call his _true_ friends. Jinyoung was one of those people. The two of them played to each other’s strengths and weaknesses, they made a dynamic team. Together, they could solve any problem and finish any task. But having such contrasting natures, understanding each other often required some effort. Not that they ever shied away from expounding a bit of effort for their friendship.

 

But it was rare that Jackson ever came across somebody who just _got him_.

 

Jisoo was holding his eyes with a look that was stern and gentle at the same time. A gaze pregnant with both quiet strength and brokenness all at the same time.

 

Jackson realized then that Jisoo, she _got him_. She _just got him._

 

 

 

 

 

“This is an odd choice for a celebration,” Jinyoung said, looking around the small tea room that Jackson had chosen. They were celebrating the release of his second solo single, which hadn’t actually come out yet. But since he would be in China for its release, Jinyoung had suggested doing something earlier together.

 

“It’s a nice a choice for spring, though,” Jisoo said, looking around at all potted plants and flowers that decorated the mostly empty tea room.

 

“Still, how are we supposed to make a toast with tea?” Jinyoung said, laughing. “Isn’t it bad luck to toast with anything other than alcohol?”

 

“Ahh, who cares?” Jackson said. “Shit, I’ve been toasting people with non-alcoholic drinks for years.”

 

“You ever wonder if maybe _that’s_ why all your goldfish died as a kid?” Jinyoung asked.

 

Jisoo laughed and Jackson frowned.

 

“Leave my goldfish out of this, god rest their souls,” he said, and then lifted his teacup. “Lift your teacup, we’re doing this.”

 

Jinyoung shook his head but did as Jackson said. “You’re not gonna make me do Wang Gae-Park Gae again, are you?”

 

“There’s nobody here.”

 

“You’re starting to abuse it, though.”

 

“I’m kind of hurt that you’re embarrassed to do it with me, Jinyoung.”

 

“With teacups, though?”

 

“Hush, come on, I’m making a toast. Just do it this one time, I promise I won’t ask anymore.”

 

“You said that last time.”

 

“Wang Gae,” Jackson said, laughing as she shoved his teacup in Jinyoung’s face. His friend laughed and clinked his teacup against Jackson’s.

 

“Park Gae,” Jinyoung said. “Congratulations on your second album.”

 

Jisoo rubbed a thumb against the ceramic of her own teacup, watching the two friend trade banter, but she kept to herself, not wanting to get in the way. She would have other moments to share with Jinyoung, so for now, she decided to let Wang Gae and Park Gae have this moment. She lifted her teacup to take a sip, but Jackson knocked the table next to her cup.

 

“Yah!” he said. “You didn’t toast yet!”

 

Jisoo blinked. When she looked up at Jackson, he smirked and then lifted his tea cup to hers.

 

“Wang Gae,” he said.

 

Jisoo smiled and clinked her cup against his.

 

“Kim Gae.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That awkward moment when you try to write a JinJi fic, but you end up with a Jackson-centric one shot, lol.


End file.
